By Angela Beach Silverthorne Someone asked me why I loved to write. So many words ran through my mind, but one stood out. CHOICE. I feel a need to write about the cost of choice, to show readers strategies that lead to success or failure. Life choices are complicated and serious. I’m not talking about picking your favorite flavor of …
ACFW Conference Prayer – The Families at Home (Day 10)
2017 ACFW CONFERENCE – 40 DAYS OF PRAYER DAY 10 – 9/11/17 – THE FAMILIES WE LEAVE AT HOME Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is …
Tips for Using the 5 Senses
by Ane Mulligan Sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste create experiential fiction, a story so in-the-moment, the reader hears, smells, and tastes what the characters do. To do that, we want to show the action. Here are some tips for you. Remember to make the descriptions organic to your character. If you protagonist is a musician, her similes will be musical. …
ACFW Conference Prayer – For Those Who Mourn (Day 11)
2017 ACFW CONFERENCE – 40 DAYS OF PRAYER DAY 11 – 9/10/17 – THAT WE MOURN WITH THOSE WHO MOURN Heavenly Father, as we prepare for our conference, open our hearts to those who are mourning this year, to those who have lost loved ones or have received tragic news. Open our hearts to those who feel hopeless and helpless. …
ACFW Conference Prayer – That We Rejoice (Day 12)
2017 ACFW CONFERENCE – 40 DAYS OF PRAYER DAY 12 – 9/9/17 – THAT WE REJOICE WITH THOSE WHO REJOICE Romans 12:15 – Rejoice with those who rejoice. (ESV). Father God, we lean on You to stir within us a spirit of rejoicing when others get the appointment we thought we needed, when editors and agents show excitement for someone else’s project, …
Going Live (or on the Record) with Zoom
By Johnnie Alexander A few weeks ago, three friends and I—from four different states and three different time zones—got together on Zoom to brainstorm a story I’m working on. Thanks to Zoom’s gallery view format, we could see each other as we talked through our ideas. It was a fantastic way for us to connect with one another across such …
ACFW Conference Prayer – Hotel Staff (Day 13)
2017 ACFW CONFERENCE – 40 DAYS OF PRAYER DAY 13 – 9/8/17 – HOTEL STAFF Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible…I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. 1 Corinthians 9:19, 23 (NIV) Heavenly Father, …
When You Don’t Final—Handling Feedback from Contests
By Rachel Dylan When I first started writing I entered numerous writing contests for unpublished authors. I was excited to enter and see what others thought about these crazy stories that had developed inside my head. These contests were a great way to get feedback and have someone who didn’t know me read my manuscript. I jumped in and started …
ACFW Conference Prayer: For our Conference Treasurer (Day 14)
2017 ACFW CONFERENCE – 40 DAYS OF PRAYER DAY 14 – 9/7/17 – PAM HILLMAN, CONFERENCE TREASURER Shout joyfully to God, all the earth! Sing about the glory of His name; make His praise glorious. Psalm 66:1-2 (HCSB) Dear Lord, We pray and ask for wisdom for Pam Hillman as she deals with all the expenses surrounding the conference. Give …
Questions from a Young Writer
by Ann H. Gabhart Recently I was interviewed by a young high school girl with dreams of writing the same as I had many years ago at her age. Selena hoped I might reveal some magic path to being a successful writer. I don’t think there is any magic. Instead blood, sweat and tears accompany the writing journey, but joy …